IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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1.25      1.4       16 

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Sciences 

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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

(716)  872-4903 


>> 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  i:9st 
original  copy  available  for  ffilmiing.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  l>e  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I     I   Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagte 


□   Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurte  et/ou  pellicula 


D 


Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I     I   Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 


□   Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

I — I   Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
ReliA  avec  d'autres  documents 


|~7|   Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 


D 


D 


along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serrie  peut  causer  de  i'ombre  ou  de  la 

distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intArieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutAec 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais.  lorsque  cela  Atait  possibl'^    ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  Ati  filmies. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meifleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqufo  ci-dessous. 


I — I   Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 


□   Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  peiliculAes 

□    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6colortes,  tacheties  ou  piquAes 

□   Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d^tachdes 

Showthroughy 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

QualitA  in6gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materif 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplAmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


[      I  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

I — I  Only  edition  available/ 


D 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellament 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  At6  film^es  h  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu4  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


y 


12X 


16X 


20X 


a4X 


28X 


32X 


lils 

iu 

Jifier 

me 

age 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thank* 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exemplaire  film*  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
gAnArosit*  de: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  At*  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet*  de  l'exemplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fiimage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  Ail 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  filmds  en  commengant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmto  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "I,  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboies  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniAre  image  de  Ci^aque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — »>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  sif^nifie  "FIN", 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtns 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diff Arents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA.  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


rata 


eiure, 
A 


J 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

pRO 

Terrij 
the  in 
igable 
southi 
Inlet  i 
ding  i 


w 


<>m 


Cfuyj  THE  ALL-AMERICAN  ROUTE  TO  THE  KLONDIKE. 


149 


s"^ 


THE  ALL-AMERICAN  ROUTE  TO  THE  KLONDIKE.    ^' 


r-V 


BY  EDWARD  GILLETTE, 

Chief  Engineer  of  the  Exploring  Expedition. 


PROBABLY  no  portion  of  our  country  is 
making  history  for  itself  so  fast  as  the 
Territory  of  Alaska.  It  is  not  surprising  that 
the  interior  of  this  country,  away  from  nav- 
igable waters,  is  virtually  unknown.  The 
southern  coast,  from  Icy  Straits  to  Cook 
Inlet  and  beyond,  presents  a  most  forbid- 
ding aspect  to  the  explorer.    The  caiions 


and  valleys  of  the  coast  range  are  filled  with 
ice  and  snow,  or  with  a  dense  and  almost 
impenetrable  growth  of  vegetation  where 
the  soil  is  exposed. 

During  the  field  season  of  1899  I  was 
chief  engineer  of  the  exploring  expedi- 
tion sent  out  by  the  War  Department  to 
determine  the  most  practicable  route  to 


'•  IjW      *  Longitude         I 


PROPOSED 

JTEW  ROUTE 

TO  THE  KliONDIKE 


SCALE  OF  MILE8 

S        i3o        iJ5o        »5o        i3o        s5o 


,^ 


1{0 We«t from 1^)     Orw-nwlch^^^ V     \       ^p»«| 


Pacific  N.W.  History  0?^^ 

PROVINCIAL.  LIBRARY 
VICTORIA,  B.  0. 


150 


THE  CENTURY  MAGAZINE. 


the  Klondike  region  all  within  United  States 
territory. 

The  result  of  former  years  of  exploration 
pointed  to  Valdez  Bay,  at  the  head  of  Prince 
William  Sound,  as  the  best  harbor  on  the 
Southern  coast,  and  it  was  desired,  if  possi- 
ble, to  locate  &  railroad  route  of  reasonable 
cost  of  construction  and  maintenance  from 
this  port  to  some  point  on  the  Yukon  River 
jiear  Fort  Egbert  or  Eagle  City.  At  the  head 
of  Valdez  Bay  is  the  small  town  of  Valdez, 
mainly  the  residue  of  a  large  stampede  of 
prospectors  to  this  region  a  few  years  ago. 
At  that  time  the  only  route  into  the  interior 
was  that  which  the  Indians  were  known  to 
have  used,  by  way  of  Valdez  Glacier.  The 
hardship,  toil,  and  suffering,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  dangers,  endured  in  traversing  the 
forty  miles  of  this  glacier,  were  something 
appalling.  The  country  east  of  Valdez  was 
virtually  unknown.  A  few  explorers  had 
climbed  to  the  divide,  and  on  looking  down 
into  the  valley  beyond  had  mistaken  the 
upper  valley  of  Lowe  River,  the  main  stream 
emptying  into  the  head  of  Valdez  Bay,  for 
a  lake.  The  scant  maps  of  this  region  were 
very  misleading. 

However,  the  recent  discovery  of  a  gorge, 
since  named  Keystone  Cafion,  connecting 
the  upper  valley  with  the  coast  at  Valdez, 
developed  a  new  route  to  the  interior,  which 
the  War  Department  was  not  slow  in  open- 
ing up  by  the  construction  of  a  pack-trail. 
This  brought  about  the  immediate  abandon- 
ment of  travel  over  Valdez  Glacier,  and 
opened  up  a  practicable  route  to  the  great 
drainage  basin  of  Copper  River,  the  head 
waters  of  tho  Tanana,  a  tributary  of  the 
Yukon,  which  gave  cheaper  and  better  com- 
munication between  the  Forty  Mile  Creek 
mining  region  and  the  coast.  The  glaciers 
along  the  coast  range  of  Alaska  leave  very 
few  possible  routes  across  or  through  the 
mountains.  Where  the  larger  streams,  such 
as  Copper  River,  empty  into  the  ocean,  del- 
tas and  shoal  waters  exist,  the  result  of  the 
depositing  of  vast  quantities  of  the  earthy 
matter  which  is  always  to  be  found  in  glacial 
streams,  and  fills  up  any  harbors  which  might 
otherwise  furnish  a  good  port  for  shipping. 

The  large  streams  which  cut  through  the 
coast  range  have,  in  addition  to  the  shoal 
water  at  the  mouth,  for  a  part  of  the  caiion 
wall  overhanging  glaciers  which  make  them 
impracticable  as  routes  for  transportation 
purposes.  It  was  only  after  the  most  thor- . 
ough  search  that  a  good  route  inland  from 
Valdez  was  found,  and  this,  in  connection 
with  a  fine  harbor  open  or  free  from  ice  the 


entire  year,  furnishes  conditions  which  do 
not  exist  elsewhere  on  the  Alaskan  coast  as 
far  as  is  known. 

The  ruling  part  of  the  route  for  a  railroad 
from  Valdez  to  the  Yukon  River  was  con- 
sidered that  from  the  harbor  to  the  divide 
of  the  coast  range.  The  interior  of  the  coun- 
try is  undulating,  with  no  great  elevation  to 
be  overcome,  and  v  ith  much  of  the  line  in 
smooth  valleys.  The  line  as  located  runs 
from  Valdez  Bay  up  to  the  level  valley  of 
Lowe  River,  for  twelve  miles  with  very  light 
work  to  the  mouth  of  Keystone  Caiion, 
thence  with  three  miles  of  heavy  work 
through  the  cafion  to  the  upper  valley  of  the 
rivev,  thence  four  miles  through  this  valley 
to  where  the  climb  to  the  summit  begins. 
The  maximum  grade  for  this  distance  of 
nineteen  miles  is  one  per  cent.,  or  fifty-three 
feet  to  the  mile,  and  the  heavy  grade  to  the 
summit  consists  of  twelve  miles  of  three  per 
cent.,  or  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  feet  per 
mile.  The  maximum  curvature  is  ten  de- 
grees, and  the  cost  of  construction,  as  a 
whole,  is  light  for  mountain  work,  being  prob- 
ably thirty  thousand  dollars  per  mile.  The 
position  of  the  first  part  of  the  line  in  the  val- 
leys away  from  the  slope  of  the  mountains 
makes  it  possible  to  avoid  snow-slides,  while 
the  climb  to  the  summit  is  along  a  succes- 
sion of  benches  which  so  interrupt  the  slope 
of  the  mountain  as  to  render  the  line  equally 
easy  to  keep  open  in  this  particular. 

The  pack-trail,  including  bridges,  has  been 
built  for  a  distance  of  eighty  miles  from 
Valdez,  the  whole  distance  to  Eagle  being 
three  hundred  and  sixty,  and  it  is  expected 
that  the  entire  trail  will  be  completed  dur- 
ing 1900.  It  is  probable  that  this  summer 
droves  of  cattle  will  go  through  to  Dawson 
by  this  route,  which  offers  an  abundance  of 
grass.  Already  the  government  has  built  sta- 
tions every  fifteen  miles,  which  are  stocked 
with  provisions,  and  are  permanently  manned 
by  two  soldiers  each,  and  this  policy  is  to  be 
extended  as  the  route  advances. 

The  route  from  Thompson  Pass,  or  the 
divide  of  the  coast  range,  follows  northward 
down  Ptarmigan  Creek,  named  from  the 
grc:\t  flocks  of  ptarmigan  always  fi.  ad 
there,  thence  to  Teikhill  River,  where,  in 
1898,  a  large  prospectors'  camp  was  burned 
by  forest  fires.  At  the  site  of  this  camp, 
guns,  shovels,  picks,  and  other  utensils 
ruined  by  the  fire  may  still  be  found.  The 
outfits  taken  by  prospectors  into  the  Copper 
River  country  over  Valdez  Glacier  included 
almost  everything  from  a  pin  to  a  sawmill. 
One  party  ha'^'  a  boring-machine  with  which 


THE  ALL-AMERICAN  ROUTE  TO  THE  KLONDIKE. 


151 


which  do 
in  coast  as 

•  a  railroad 
r  was  con- 
the  divide 
f  the  coun- 
levation  to 
the  line  in 
;ated  runs 
1  valley  of 
1  very  light 
ne  Canon, 
eavy  work 
illey  of  the 
this  valley 
nit  begins, 
iistance  of 
fifty-three 
rade  to  the 
if  three  per 
;ht  feet  per 
is  ten  de- 
ction,  as  a 
being  prob- 
mile.  The 
e  in  the  val- 
mountains 
slides,  while 
g  a  succes- 
pt  the  slope 
line  equally 
[liar. 

es,  has  been 
miles  from 
Jagle  being 
is  expected 
ipleted  dur- 
bis  summer 
to  Dawson 
lundance  of 
as  built  sta- 
are  stocked 
itly  manned 
licy  is  to  be 

*as8,  or  the 
3  northward 
I  from  the 
vays  ft.  nd 
r,  where,  in 
was  burned 
this  camp, 
er  utendils 
found.  The 
the  Copper 
ier  included 
)  a  sawmill, 
with  which 


to  sink  a  hole  to  bed-rock,  and  an  electric- 
light  apparatus,  so  that  the  lamp  could  be 
lowered  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole  for  the 
purpose  of  discovering  gold.  The  line  ex- 
tends over  the  great  griassy  plains  in  the 
Copper  River  basin,  and  crosses  many 
streams,  such  as  the  Tonsena,  Klutena, 
Tazlina,  and  Christochina  rivers,  thence  fol- 
lov/s  up  the  Slahna  River  to  Mentasta  Pass, 
thus  crossing  from  the  Copper  River  drain- 
age to  that  of  the  Yukon. 

In  the  Copper  River  valley  one  can  see  to 
the  eastward  of  the  river  many  high  moun- 
tains, including  Wrangel,  Tillman,  Drum, 
and  Sanford,  ranging  in  height  from  thir- 
teen to  seventeen  thousand  feet.  Mount 
Wrangel  is  an  active  volcano  nearly  sur- 
rounded by  immense  glaciers.  It  is  thought 
that  the  eruptions  here  last  year  were 
the  center  of  the  earthquakes  which  shook 
violently  nearly  the  whole  of  Alaska.  From 
Mentasta  Pass  to  the  Tanana  River  the 
distance  is  sixty  miles,  and  the  grade  is 
light.  Once  the  coast  range  is  passed,  the 
elevations  to  be  overcome  are  comparatively 
slight.  At  the  crossing  of  the  Tanana  River 
the  stream  is  six  hundred  feet  wide.  This 
river,  the  main  branch  of  the  Yukon,  opens 
up  a  great  country  tiibutary  to  this  route, 
virtually  unexplored,  but  known  to  contain 
an  extensive  mineral  belt.  From  the  Tanana 
River  the  line  crosses  the  divide  to  Forty 
Mile  Creek,  where  extensive  placer-mining 
is  now  being  carried  on,  and  thence  to  the 
Yukon  River  close  to  the  boundary-line  be- 
tween Alaska  and  British  Columbia. 

Copper  and  gold  deposits  are  being  found 
in  the  interior,  as  well  as  extensive  coal- 
measures,  and  futurs  explorations  will  doubt- 
less demonstrate  the  fact  that  the  building 
of  this  railroad  line  in  the  near  future  will 
be  a  paying  investment.  It  means  much  for 
the  permanent  development  of  Alaska,  and 
the  route,  being  entirely  in  United  States 
territory,  will  avoid  much  of  the  unpleasant- 
ness which  arises  from  using  a  route  partly 
on  foreign  soil.  The  Indians  living  on  the 
Copper  River  draiflage  use  native  copper  for 
their  spear-  and  arrow-heads.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  listen  to  these  Indians  while  at  work 
singing  "  Marching  through  Georgia,"  or 
"  There  '11  be  a  hot  time  in  the  old  town  to- 
night." They  all  call  themselves  McKinley 
men,  probably  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
big  chief  of  the  white  man  furnished  them 
with  food  when  their  supply  of  salmon  ran 
short.  The  rapidity  with  which  these  natives 
adopt  the  white  man's  food  and  manner  of 
dress,  as  well  as  some  of  the  enevt^y  of  our 

163602 


prospectors,  is  astonishing  when  compared 
witli  the  slow  progress  made  by  our  reser- 
vation Indians. 

The  agricultural  possibilities  of  this  coun- 
try do  not  appear  great  at  present,  though 
I  have  eaten  fine  potatoes  and  other  vegeta- 
bles raised  at  Valdez.  Grass  grows  luxuri- 
antly over  most  of  the  country,  and  berries 
and  small  fruits  are  much  more  abundant 
here  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  United 
States.  It  seems  at  present  that  mining  and 
the  fish  and  fur  interests  of  Alaska  would 
be  the  controlling  industries  in  the  future, 
though  it  would  not  be  surprising  to  see  the 
agricultural  interests  able  to  supply  the  home 
market. 

Game  in  thi  j  region  is  somewhat  scarce, 
a  few  moose,  caribou,  and  mountain-sheep 
being  found;  great  sport,  however,  can  al- 
ways be  had  here  in  bear-hunting.  Dense 
undergrowth,  great  quantities  of  berries, 
and  numerous  streams  well  stocked  with 
salmon  and  trout,  make  this  region  the  ideal 
home  of  the  bear.  These  animals  attain 
their  greatest  size  in  this  country,  and  are 
found  frequently  weighing  over  two  thou- 
sand pounds.  While  making  the  survey  we 
were  continually  running  across  them,  and 
their  signs  were  ever  present.  I  remember 
measuring  a  fresh  track  of  one  of  these  ani- 
mals, and  found  it  to  be  ten  inches  broad  by 
sixteen  inches  long.  A  little  later,  one  of 
the  members  of  the  survey  party  saw  this 
bear  in  the  act  of  knocking  a  salmon  out  of 
a  stream.  The  man's  statement  that  a  horse 
would  look  small  by  the  side  of  this  beast 
could  readily  be  credited.  On  Kadiak  Island, 
just  off  the  coast,  bears  have  been  killed 
weighing  as  much  as  twenty-two  hundred 
pounds.  A  dense  growth  of  alder-brush  and 
the  usually  savage  nature  of  these  brutes 
make  conditions  extremely  hazardous  in 
hunting  them.  A  sure  shot,  steady  nerves, 
and  good  judgment  are  absolutely  requisite 
in  the  hunter  to  cope  successfully  with  them. 

As  a  Northern  resort  for  summer  tourists. 
Prince  William  Sound  bids  fair  to  assume 
great  prominence  in  the  future.  With  good 
hotel  accommodations  and  a  fast  line  of 
steamers  from  some  one  of  our  Western 
ports,  a  new  and  wonderful  country  would 
be  conveniently  opened  to  the  public.  The 
sound,  being  ninety  miles  long  and  equally 
wide,  affords  ample  room  for  boating. 

The  result  of  the  season's  work  was  the 
construction  of  the  government  trail  to  a 
point  eighty  miles  I  ck  from  the  coast  and 
crossing  some  of  th  main  western  tributa- 
ries of  the  Copper  River.  Numerous  bridges 


152 


THE  CENTURY   MAGAZINE. 


were  constructed  on  this  route,  the  main 
ones  being  over  glacial  streams.  The  survey 
of  the  railroad  line  developed  a  route  over 
a  lower  s'  mmit,  on  lighter  grades,  with  less 
curvaturfc,  «  .d  at  a  cheaper  cost  in  con- 
struction and  maintenance  than  now  exists 
elsewhere  in  Alaska.  Explorations  in  the 
interior,  at  the  head  of  the  Tanana  and  Cop- 
per rivers,  gave  information  which  renders 
it  necessary  to  change  completely  the  maps 
before  made  of  this  region. 

A  comparison  of  water  routes  from  points 
on  Puget  Sound  to  Skagway  and  Valdez, 
Alaska,  is  somewhat  as  follows:  The  route 
to  Skagway  is  mainly  through  the  inside 
passage,  and  practicable  for  steamers  only, 
while  the  route  to  Valdez  by  the  outside 
passage  is  perfectly  feasible  for  sailing-craft 
as  well  as  for  steamers.  The  inside  passage 
is  more  hazardous  for  navigation,  on  account 
of  the  narrows,  shoal  water,  and  swift-mov- 
ing tides.  As  a  result  of  this,  insurance 
rates  are  much  lower  on  the  outside  route. 
In  Seymour  Narrows,  situated  off  the  east 
shore  of  Vancouver  Island,  the  velocity  of 
the  tides  at  times  exceeds  that  of  the  speed 
of  the  fastest  steamers  on  the  Western 
coast.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  wait  for 
a  favorable  time  in  the  tides  to  make  the 
passage.  In  Wrangel  Narrows,  the  extreme 
crookedness  of  the  narrow  channel  makes  it 
too  dangerous  to  navigate  at  night  except 
with  the  most  experienced  pilots,  and  with  the 


aid  of  a  search-light  on  the  boat  to  light 
up  the  buoys  along  the  channel.  In  dense 
fogs,  which  are  frequent  along  this  coast, 
the  usual  method  of  guiding  the  steamer  is 
to  sound  the  whistle  and  to  listen  for  the 
echoes  from  the  neighboring  hills.  Full 
speed  is  generally  maintained,  as  steerage- 
way  could  not  otherwise  be  obtained  in  the 
swift-running  tides.  It  is  a  high  compliment 
to  the  pilots  that  few  accidents  occur.  The 
inside  passage  is  beautiful  and  comfortable, 
but  it  does  not  afford  a  cheap  freight  route. 

Stampedes,  such  as  the  one  to  the  Klondike 
and  the  coming  one  to  Cape  Nome,  pay  high 
rates  for  the  time  being;  but  they  are  like 
a  flash  in  the  pan,  soon  over,  and  the  coun- 
try settles  down  in  its  development. 

If  Alaska  is  to  amount  to  much  in  the 
future  in  the  permanent  and  regular  output 
from  her  mines,  the  route  by  way  of  Prince 
William  Sound  and  across  the  country  to 
the  Yukon  River  will  probably  command  the 
larger  part  of  the  traffic,  and  will  furnish 
supplies  at  the  minimum  price. 

Moreover,  the  United  States  will  not  have 
to  make  concessions  along  her  coast-line  for 
the  privilege  of  opening  up  central  Alaska 
through  a  foreign  country,  but  can  have  a 
better  and  cheaper  route  entirely  within 
her  own  borders,  which  will  aid  vastly  in  the 
development  of  the  interior.  The  history  of 
Alaska  in  the  future  bids  fair  to  be  as  star- 
tling as  it  has  been  in  the  past. 


)at  to  light 
i\.  In  dense 
',  this  coast, 
e  steamer  is 
3ten  for  the 
hills.  Full 
as  steerage- 
ained  in  the 
compliment 
occur.  The 
comfortable, 
•eight  route. 
;he  Klondike 
me,  pay  high 
hey  are  like 
nd  the  coun- 
lent. 

much  in  the 
gular  output 
ay  of  Prince 
3  country  to 
ommand  the 
will  furnish 

will  not  have 
!oast-line  for 
ntral  Alaska 
;  can  have  a 
;irely  within 
vastly  in  the 
he  history  of 
0  be  as  star- 


